Karnataka to celebrate Tipu Sultan's birthday, BJP protests

BENGALURU: In a move that's sure to provoke the Ghar Wapsi brigade, the Congress-led Karnataka government has said it will celebrate as a state event the birthday of Tipu Sultan, the 18th century warrior king whom the Hindu right describes as the tyrant of Mysore for the "forced conversions" during his reign.

"Tipu fought wars against the British, gave his sons as hostage and still fought wars and died on the battlefield for the cause of Indian freedom. He also supported temples and gave money to construct them. We will celebrate his birthday as a state event," chief minister Siddaramaiah said on Monday.

The BJP was quick to condemn the decision. "They can celebrate Aurangzeb’s birthday also if they want to," BJP leader and state Legislative Council chairman DH Shankaramurthy told ET.

The Congress, in the last few years, has been taking steps to honour the memory of the king who fought four wars with the British. Its plan to name a Central university proposed at his erstwhile capital Srirangapatna had to be put on the freezer after protest from the BJP. The BJP government led by BS Yeddyurappa had attempted to rewrite Tipu's role in history textbooks, but these were stalled after a public outcry.

Various versions of history portray Tipu as tyrant or as far-sighted ruler. Karnataka's revenue and tax collection system is still based on the one he put in place. Underlining his party's stand, BJP's Shankaramurthy said an archived letter from Tipu to the Nizam of Hyderabad suggested: "Let us make this portion of India Hindu-mukth (Hindu-free)."

"People of Kodagu, Dakshina Kannada and Udupi still hate Tipu for the forced conversions and the rape of their women during his rule. The Mopplars of Malabar are all forced converts during his time," said Shankaramurthy.